Home starts on rise in Central Indiana

Builders filed for 459 new home permits in March in the nine-county region, up 21 percent from February, according to the Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis. It was the second consecutive month filed permits had risen.
(Photo:
Rich Miller/The Star 2004 file photo.
)

Home-building activity in Central Indiana was up for the second straight month this year.

Builders filed for 459 new home permits in March in the nine-county region, up 21 percent from the 366 permits filed in February, according to the Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis.

Activity is up slightly year over year, from 1,104 permits filed from January through March 2013 to 1,138 filed during the same period this year.

Year to date, Hamilton County has seen the greatest number of permits filed, with 462. Marion had 181; Johnson, 154; Hendricks, 143; Boone, 84; Hancock, 73; Madison, 18; Morgan, 17; and Shelby, 6.

Steve Lains, BAGI’s chief executive officer, said the growth will help the local economy.

“It is clear that housing creates jobs and is extremely influential in creating the strong economic viability we are beginning to see again here in Central Indiana, and we expect to see those numbers continue to rise,” Lains said in a prepared statement.